At the Intersection of Faith and Life

They can make you break out in a cold sweat, avoid new situations, and look for the closest exits.

So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. 1 Peter 4:14-15

I can be honest to a fault. Not an unkind fault . . . brutal honesty is one of my least favorite phrases. I’m just terrible at keeping secrets – well my secrets anyway. As a pastor’s wife, I’ve learned to keep other people’s secrets.

I’m just a terrible liar, and when asked a personal question I stumble all over myself and then spill my guts.

Dealing with “Nosey Nellie” has always been challenging for me. You know her. She’s the one who asks:

What do you weigh?

When are you going to start a family?

Why are you still single?

Why did you break up?

How much did you pay for your car, house, etc?

Why can’t you attend the ___________?

Have you ever ___________?

How much did you make last year?

Some questions hit home harder than others, based on your personality, the circumstances, or relationship to the person asking.

So, how should you and I handle personal questions when everything inside of us is screaming MYOB (mind your own business).

How to Respond to Nosey Questions

1. Take a Deep Breath – An “in with the butterflies, out with the bees” breath. Stay calm.

2. Use Humor – Laughter tends to put everyone at ease, and will relax you. So make a joke out of it by saying things like:

Deb,
I KNOW! ME TOO! I have such a need for truth that I spill too easily as I think I SHOULD tell them the amount in my checking account. Now…I am 57…so I have gotten better. But I love that you are giving us overspillers permission to calm the need to spill too much with humor and truth. Great post!
Emily